Punch-Out!
by Liquid
Summary: In 1987, a kid named Mac decided to act on his childhood dream of becoming the best in the W.V.B.A. This is a story of true victory, but the road was long.
1. Prologue The New WVBA

**Punch-Out!**

**Prologue: The New W.V.B.A.**

Even since the dawn of the sport, Boxing has had a strong tradition of fairness and honor, where two men could meet on equal terms in order to decide which of them was the stronger. A firm system of rules and guidelines was created in order to reinforce this concept, but then everything changed in 1957, when recently retired Boxing Champion, _Hoy Quarlow_, used his long-saved prize money to purchase the very association that he had spent over thirty years fighting for.

Renaming it the _World Video Boxing Association_, mostly due to the fact that it was the first sports entertainment industry to broadcast every single event on Television, Mr. Quarlow set out to remove what he felt were _unnecessary_ restrictions on the sport. Weight classes were the first thing to go, since he believed that a fighter should take on _all_ challengers in order to truly be the best, and instead of a panel of judges, final say on a match would be decided by a single referee, the only person who Mr. Quarlow felt was worthy of such authority.

Thus began the hay-day of celebrated fighters such as _Jerome 'Doc' Louis _and _Bradley 'King Hippo' Johnson_, while also giving somewhat less successful competitors like _Gabriel 'Gabby' Jay _a fair shot as well. Over the next few years the sport further evolved, putting more emphasis on the entertainment side of the industry as Mr. Quarlow encouraged his fighters to develop what could be called _eccentric_ personas, as well as turning a blind-eye to some behaviors that had previously been unauthorized or even _illegal _in the ring.

Investors were hesitant to take a gamble on such a reckless and non-traditional version of the time-honored sport, with most experts predicting that the public would turn away from the excessive violence and overly-dramatic _showman_ delivery. However, those same experts were soon proven wrong as the _W.V.B.A._ gained almost overnight fame, transforming it into a multi-million dollar industry, with investors nearly getting into fights themselves over who could buy shares first.

Over the next few years, this radically different approach to sports entertainment shot Boxing to the top spot as the most popular sport in the world, according to _The New York Times_. There was no shortage of eager young fighters attempting to climb the ranks as the _classic_ competitors began to retire, leading Mr. Quarlow to create a separate _Minor Circuit _to help in separating the best from the rest, so that only the top competitors could participate in the newly coined _Major Circuit_.

The Minor Circuit quickly gained fame as well, eventually becoming what _College Football _was to the _NFL_, and many fighters such as _Emir 'Bald Bull' Kerem _and _Kota 'Piston' Honda _opted to stay in the minors where they had already become adored by countless fans. One of these fans was a young kid from The Bronx, named _Mac_, who in the year 1987, dared to act on his childhood dream of becoming the best in the W.V.B.A.

This is a story of true victory, but the road was a long one.


	2. Chapter 1 Loser

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 1: Loser**

The cheers of the crowd were the first thing that could be heard as the curtains opened, and then a slow rhythmic clapping began as Mac Little began his walk to the ring. He knew each face that he saw in the stands as he walked past them; family members, friends, and even his boss were all just sitting there, continuing the rhythmic clap as if not being able to see him. Instead they were looking straight ahead, blankly staring at the boxing ring that was suddenly illuminated by intense overhead lights.

The emblem of a red cobra, the widely known symbol of the W.V.B.A. Minor Circuit, had been printed across the center of the ring, and it was inside that ring that Mac would participate in his first fight of what he already knew was going to be a long and illustrious career. The cheers and applause slowly faded away as he reached the ring and stepped through the ropes, and the thick-mustached referee took his time walking to the center as a microphone was lowered.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the W.V.B.A. Minor Circuit." He began. "A place where a small number of lucky fighters will begin a long and illustrious career, while everyone else will get to look stupid in front of everyone and then go back to work on Monday."

The referee continued to drone on as Mac turned to take a look at the crowd, and now he was seeing even more familiar faces staring blankly in the crowd. He saw his girlfriend sitting in the front row, and this made him relax for a second, but then the anxiety returned as he saw his high school science teacher sitting next to her while holding up a test that had a big letter _F_ written on the front.

"Introducing first, tonight's challenger." The referee continued as Mac turned back toward him. "He's a complete _nobody_ from _nowhere_ in particular, who will probably _lose_ and then _never_ fight again. In this corner, weighing in at 115 lbs., wearing 95 oz. gloves and a pair of tighty-whities; Mac Little."

The crowd gave a less than enthusiastic cheer that slowly devolved into laughter as Mac looked down at himself. He was a bit confused to see the gigantically oversized gloves that were over his hands, and then he gasped when he saw that he really _was_ only wearing a pair of tighty-whities. He somehow knew that his mother would be happy about this since they appeared to be clean, but this didn't stop him from blushing, especially when he started to see camera flashes from in the stands.

"And now, introducing Mac's opponent." The referee continued. "He is a deep-seated terror from Mac's childhood, and the worst possible thing for someone to face in their very first match. Weighing in at 440 lbs. of pure nightmare-fuel, I give you - a big, scary clown."

Suddenly something dropped down from above, and the whole ring shook as Mac's opponent landed in the center. This guy was _huge_, wearing red overalls that didn't take anything away from the green hair on the sides of his head or the large red clown nose in the center of his face. He started laughing hysterically when he saw Mac, and gave a big, toothy grin when the referee motioned for Mac to approach.

"I'm sorry to say this, Mac, but you're gonna lose." The referee said as the clown honked his squeaky nose. "Just remember that your girlfriend is watching, so try not to scream _to_ loudly when he frickin annihilates you. Ready,_ fight_!"

The gloves he was wearing were so big and heavy that Mac had trouble even_ lifting _his arms as the referee moved out of the way, but instead of attacking right away, the clown actually took a couple steps back. He grinned as he reached behind his back and took out a set of fist-size rubber balls, and needless to say, Mac was confused when he began to juggle them. The balls went around and around for a few seconds, but then the clown grabbed one out of the air and threw it at him.

"Ow! What the hell?!" Mac yelled as it struck him in the forehead.

The rubber ball was surprisingly heavy, making him stumble back a bit as it fell to the mat, but there was no time to do anything before the next one hit him in the chest. The clown kept throwing them at him until he had been backed all the way up against the ropes, and then he honked his squeaky nose again before rushing forward. In a surprising display of agility, the clown leapt higher than the top-rope, flipping backwards as he flew forward. The last thing Mac saw was two large fists coming at his face before he screamed and closed his eyes tightly, only to find that everything was gone when he finally opened them again.

The clown, the referee, and the whole arena were all gone as he looked around to see the familiar surroundings of his bedroom, but he was dripping with sweat, and suddenly cried out again as something touched his arm. An instant later a lamp on the other side of the bed was clicked on, and Mac started to settle down as the room was filled with dim orange light, allowing him to see the concerned expression on the face of a pretty girl with blonde hair.

"Mac, are you all right?" She asked as she moved closer.

He wanted to tell her that everything was fine so that she would go back to sleep, being that they both had to go to work in the morning, but the truth was that he was not fine. His hands were shaking a little, his breaths were quick and sharp, and his whole body was covered in sweat. A feeling of both dread and disappointment was then added to the mixture when he looked at the alarm clock on the nightstand; showing that he only had about a half hour before it was set to go off.

"I had that dream again, Alice." He replied while hanging his head. "I was in the ring, and I was getting my butt handed to me - by a _clown_. Losing is bad enough in itself, but losing to a clown is so much _worse_."

"You're not a loser." Alice said as she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You have a job, your own place, and _hello_, last I checked there was a beautiful girl in your bed. You think a _loser _could get someone cute as _me_?"

They both laughed a little at this, and then shared a quick kiss before Mac put his arms around her. Alice Apethree was more than just his girlfriend, she was his rock, his beacon to light the way whenever he started to get lost. The first time he had ever seen her was at a science fair way back in junior high, where her father had helped her build a machine for arm wrestling practice. She called it the _Ape III_, as a play on her last name, and it sent Mac flying right over a table when he agreed to test it for her. She ran over to see if he was all right, and then she smiled at him, and it was as if everyone else in the room had just disappeared.

He was still just as in love with her, now, two years after they had graduated from high school, but living in a one bedroom apartment and still having that same old job was not exactly where he had told the guidance counselor where he saw himself in 1-5 years. It was true that he had the girl of his dreams, but so far this was the _only _dream that he had accomplished. He wanted to be a famous boxer like, well, _any_ of the fighters in the W.V.B.A.

"I know I'm not a loser." Mac continued. "But, I guess - I guess I thought that I would've figured everything out by now. I've got dreams, but I don't know how to act on them. I mean, what if I don't make it and we lose everything?"

"Mac, I love you." Alice replied. "I want you to be happy, and I'll support you in whatever you decide to do, but you're the only one who can make it happen. Just promise me that when you become famous, that you won't leave me for some Hollywood starlet."

They smiled at each other and had a laugh at her joke, and Mac knew that he would never leave her for _anything_. He pulled her in close as they kissed, but then the whole moment was ruined when the alarm clock went off. He kissed her again anyway, but then it was time to get out of bed and face reality. She was right, though. He was the only one who could make his dreams happen, and starting today he was going to do something about it.

Well, first he had to go to work, but then he would get to the dreams.


	3. Chapter 2 Day Job

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 2: Day Job**

The sun was just starting to come up as Mac walked down the sidewalk toward his job, and New York was cold even in April, so he kept his hands in his pockets. He had a car, but Alice didn't, and he didn't want her to have to walk to any of her college classes during the day, so he let her use it. Not that he minded the walk, being that he considered himself to be in good shape, and walking also gave him more time to think about things.

He had decided that he was going to take Alice's advice and try out for the Minor Circuit, but first he would need a few things. He didn't own any equipment, so he would have to find the money for things like gloves, and he also needed a trainer. He had been in a few fights here and there throughout his life, so he knew how to handle himself, but he wanted someone who knew what they were doing, more as an evaluation than anything.

It would probably take a while for him to be ready enough to actually sign up for the Minors, but it wasn't like they were going anywhere. So for now he would focus on his real job, you know, the one that paid his bills. So he rounded the last corner of his walk, and then moved across the parking lot toward the front doors of the _Super Macho Gym_. The place was still locked and the lights were off, but Mac had been working there since he was 15, and the owner had given him a key when he was made a manager.

The lock clicked open, and the long fluorescent lights along the ceiling flickered on as he flipped on all the switches after walking through the door. The gym didn't open for about two hours yet, so he made sure the door was still locked once it closed, and then he had to make his rounds. This basically meant that he had to walk around the place, picking up towels that had been left on the floor from last night's closing time, and also making sure that no one had broken in.

Then there was the cleaning. To tell the truth, his job was a mix between being a manager and a janitor. He had to put new towels on the machines, make sure that everything was dusted, clean the bathrooms, things like that. Once all this was done, and the place opened for the day, his job was to manage the other employees and make sure that everything was running smoothly. The other employees were mostly beautiful young girls who were mostly there to draw in more members, so Mac had to do most of the hard work, but he got paid extra for that, so he didn't mind too much.

"Mac!" A voice yelled from the back. "Mac, is that you out there?"

"Yeah, Greg, it's me." He answered. "I just got in."

The sound of footsteps could be heard making their way out of the offices and across the gym, and Greg Berwick certainly lived up the name of the gym he owned. The man was _ripped_ from head to toe, as in not an ounce of fat on his entire body. This was to be expected from a man who owned one of the largest fitness facilities in the area, although Mac was not too fond of the speedo that he was currently wearing. Hey, maybe he could talk to _him_ about finding a trainer and equipment. After all, boxing was just another type of physical training, so he probably knew a _ton_ of people.

"Mac, thank God you're here." Greg continued. "I need your help; we're shooting a new commercial at 9:00, and I need to go over my routine. Now, keep in mind that the girls are gonna be hanging on me, and I'm gonna start with _this_ pose, followed by _this_ one."

He started cycling through several of the poses that a lot of muscle-men did during competitions to show off their definition, and he just kept going and going, while asking Mac what he thought of each one. His honest opinion was that people would come to the gym no matter what poses he did, since they would already see how in shape he was, and that there was no need for elaborate beach settings or whatever he was going to do for this year's commercial. But Greg was the owner, so Mac chose at random which poses he should keep and which ones to tell him _were so last year _or something.

"Awesome, Mac." Greg said once they were done. "I think this is gonna be our best one yet."

"That's great, Greg." Mac replied. "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure, what is it? Oh, God, you're not quitting, are you? What is it, the hours? The pay? The vacation time?"

Mac tried to reassure him that he wasn't quitting or anything like that and that he actually enjoyed his job, but his words were stopped as the muscle man fell to his knees and hugged him around the waist so hard that he was having trouble breathing.

"Please don't go, Mac!" Greg wailed. "I'll give you a two dollar an hour raise! I'll give you a ten percent bonus! I'll even put you on my _insurance_, just don't make me have to run this place by myself again, I'm begging you!"

"I'm not quitting!" Mac gasped. "Greg - can't breathe!"

Greg sighed with relief at the same time that Mac gasped for breath after being released. The muscle man then got to his feet, wiped his eyes, and patted Mac on the shoulder.

"Wow, Mac, who knew you were such a shrewd businessman?" He asked, almost with pride. "You're worth it, though, and I can give you the bonus on Friday, but the raise won't start until _next _paycheck."

Mac suddenly found himself unable to do anything but grunt an _okay _as his brain just now realized that he was going to get all those things, and this unintentional conversation had just solved half of his problems. With the extra money from both the raise and the bonus, he would easily be able to afford the equipment he would need for entering the Minor Circuit. However, there was still the matter of finding a trainer.

"Don't worry, Greg, I'm not going anywhere, um, now." Mac replied. "But, listen, I'm thinking of competing in the W.V.B.A. Minor Circuit, and I was wondering if you knew any trainers."

"The Minors, huh?" He asked. "Ah, getting a little bold now that you have insurance, right? I don't blame you, but I really don't know any boxing trainers _personally_. Hold on, wait a second, there's that new place that opened up down the street a couple weeks ago. I think it's actually a boxing school, and tell you what: After we get things going here, and the commercial shoot is done, how about we take a run down there and check it out?"

Mac nodded, and Greg smiled back as he patted him on the shoulder. Everything that had happened to him so far on that was just amazing, well, aside from the whole clown nightmare, and he was glad that he had taken Alice's advice. Hell, if he had known that following his dreams was_ this _easy, he would've done it a long time ago.

His luck had definitely changed, and as long as it held out, he would be ready for the Minor Circuit in no time.


	4. Chapter 3 Instructor Wanted

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 3: Instructor Wanted**

The early morning hours at the Super Macho Gym passed slowly, as time always did when someone was looking forward to something. Mac got the place ready in time to open, and had to handle pretty much all of the business, just like he always did when it was time to shoot the yearly commercial. Greg did his usual routine to promote the gym while the female employees hung all over him, and Mac was glad that Alice hadn't been there to see him staring at them in their bikinis.

There was always a surge in memberships afterwards, especially once guys started to realize that the workers were the same girls from the commercial, but Mac's mind couldn't focus on anything besides finding a trainer. It felt like it took _forever_ for everything to wrap up, but finally the other employees were ready to do some actual work.

"I think this was our best one yet, Mac." Greg said as he walked out of the locker room with the tape. "I just gotta drop this off at the TV station, and then we can see about finding you a trainer. Ready to go?"

Mac nodded, and the two of them walked out the front door of the gym. Greg didn't like to drive unless absolutely necessary, so they had to walk, or rather run to reach both destinations. Mac didn't mind this, since it was just more exercise, but he was just grateful that Greg wasn't wearing that speedo anymore. It was a little warmer outside now that the sun was high in the sky, making the usual cold of New York a little easier to tolerate, but soon they were both sweating as they jogged down the sidewalk.

"So what are you gonna call yourself?" Greg asked as they turned a corner. "Don't all boxers have some kind of stage name now?"

"I'm still tossing some around." Mac replied. "I could wear a cowboy hat and be _Texas Mac_, I could wear a mask and be _Mask X_, or I could do a crazy costume thing and call myself something like _Kabuki_ or _Frank Jr_."

Greg was silent as if deep in thought while they went through a cross-walk and turned another corner. Mac hoped that he would like a few of them, or at least _one_, but it was harder than it looked to come up with a good stage name. He was kind of partial to Mask X, but would others feel the same way, or would they laugh him right out of the Minors before he could even compete?

"I don't know, Mac." Greg finally said. "Those names sound more like _arm-wrestlers _than boxers. You got any more?"

"Well, there is _one_ more." Mac replied. "What do you think about the name - _Peter Punch_?"

Greg just looked at him as the TV station came into view, and still said nothing when they came to a stop to catch their breath before going inside. It was always a good idea to stretch a little after a workout of any kind, so they took a couple minutes to do just that. This way they wouldn't cramp up, and there was also a little more time to consider this latest stage name.

"Peter Punch, huh?" Greg asked once they were done. "Well, okay, if it's the best you got, but personally I'd change it before my debut. Come on, let's get this tape dropped off."

The cassette was already addressed to the editing department, and the air-time had already been paid for, so all they had to do was drop it off at the front desk. It was back to running once this business was finished, but thankfully the place Greg had mentioned was only a few more blocks away. It looked like a gym at first, but it was a bit smaller than Greg's, and through the large front window Mac could clearly see a boxing ring. The sign above the door read: _Laviere Boxing Academy_, and a sign on the door itself read: _Free Lesson at 11:30 AM_.

Walking through the front door, Mac and Greg appeared to have arrived right on time, as a skinny man with short blonde hair was climbing into the ring. He was already wearing gloves and white shorts, and he kept moving around in a sort of fighting stance after stepping through the ropes. There was a small group of people gathered at the side of the ring that he had climbed in on, so the two of them blended in toward the back as best they could.

"Welcome to the Laviere Boxing Academy." The blonde man said in a heavy French accent. "You are here because you want to be the best, and dream of someday entering the W.V.B.A. Minor Circuit, no? Well, I, Joe Laviere, long-time competitor of the Minors, can teach you how."

There had been a number of people in the Minors with Joe in their names, so Mac couldn't be sure which one this guy was, but that still meant that luck was with him. Regardless of which stage name he used, if Joe Laviere was good enough to get into the Minors, than he was the perfect person to help Mac do the same. He couldn't wait until the free lesson was over so that he could sign up, but he still intended to pay careful attention to whatever it was that he was about to learn.

"Here you will learn the basics of the boxing art." Joe continued as he moved around. "Then, after mastering such skills as dodging, blocking, and jabbing, you will test your skills against me to see if you are ready for more advanced training. I will need a volunteer to demonstrate. How about _you_, there?"

For a moment Mac got excited as he hoped that Joe would pick him, but instead he pointed to a slightly larger man in the front of the group who had a large letter _V_ on the front of his shirt. Everyone cleared the way for this other guy to climb into the ring, and then Joe pointed to the corner where a pair of training gloves were sitting. Training gloves were bulky and could simply be slipped on, so no assistance was needed as the other guy got ready.

"You think you got what it takes, yes?" Joe asked as the other guy walked over to him. "Then put up your gloves and show me what you can do."

"Okay, let's do this." The other guy replied as he raised his gloves. "Just don't touch the face, all right?"

The crowd started to cheer as the two men started moving around, and these cheers got louder as Joe moved in and got the other guy with a left jab to the face, making him stumble back a bit. Joe raised his arms in victory, but the other guy seemed to be getting really angry. Mac could literally see this guy's face turning red and he came forward, and then the crowd fell silent as his punch knocked Joe off his feet. The blonde man collapsed to the mat, and everyone just stood there, unsure of what they were supposed to do.

"Damn it, I told you not to hit my face, Joe." The other guy said as he started to calm down. "Joe?"

Joe just laid there motionless on the mat, but he was breathing, so at least they knew that he wasn't dead. However, he had been completely knocked out cold, and the would-be boxing instructor continued to stay motionless even as the others shook him to see if he was all right. Mac had to admit that he was also stunned by this, and found himself wondering how someone like Joe Laviere had ever made it into the Minors.

"Um, Mac." Greg whispered into his ear. "I don't think you wanna be taught by this guy."

"Yeah, let's get outa here." Mac replied as they started toward the door. "I've heard of having a glass jaw before, but that was something else."

It appeared that luck was no longer with him as he and Greg exited the building and started walking back down the sidewalk toward the gym. His boss made small talk like always, but Mac wasn't really listening. His mind replayed seeing Joe get knocked out with one punch over and over again by someone who was worried about getting hit in the face. He also started to think that the V on the guy's shirt stood for _Vanity_ instead of _Victory_, but then he had another thought.

If glass-jaw Joe was good enough for the Minors, than so was he, and maybe now was the time to prove it.


	5. Chapter 4 Moving Forward

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 4: Moving Forward**

Ever since leaving that sorry excuse for a boxing school, Mac's mind had been racing with thoughts of entering the Minors. The only day where anyone off the street could sign up for a match was Friday, which gave him today and tomorrow to get ready, but still the thought of actually doing this was making him more excited than he had been in quite a while. There was so much he had to do before then, but for now it was lunch time, so he and Greg had decided to make a stop at the _Pizza Pasta Restaurant _before going back to work.

The owner had been a member of the Super Macho Gym for a long time, so they got a good table even during the lunch-rush. It was also a good thing that Greg worked out so much, because he could put food away like no other. Of course the owner, Pete, came out to sit with them so that he and Greg could chat, but Mac wasn't listening. His mind had already fast-forwarded to Friday night when he would be put against someone like Kid Quick, or maybe even Piston Honda.

"Hey, look, it's on already!" Greg announced excitedly. "Look, Mac!"

Pulled out of his daydream, Mac turned his head toward the small TV in the corner of the restaurant just in time to see Greg doing the first of his muscle-man poses in that horrible speedo. The area around him had been made up to look like a beach, but Mac could easily spot the walls of the back room they always filmed it in. Last year it had been a winter theme, but the commercial was always the same.

"_Oh yeah, can you feel that_?" Greg said as he changed poses. "_That's the desire you feel to have a body like this. A desire that can only be fulfilled by going down to the Super Macho Gym just like you've always wanted to. Right, girls_?"

Suddenly the camera moved back a little as he was swarmed by a three girls in bikinis, who hung all over him. Mac also wondered if having employees do things like this violated any of the new harassment laws that were coming out, but on the other hand the bonus each girl got from doing the commercial would probably stop her from complaining even if it did.

"_Oh my, you're so buff_." The first one said. "_We love strong men like Greg, don't we, girls_?"

"_Definitely_." The second one replied. "_I wouldn't have even looked at him before, but then he got that membership at the Super Macho Gym, and now I just can't resist those iron-hard abs_."

"_Ooh, and look at those giant guns_." The third one added. "_He's totally a super macho man_."

"_Right you are, girls_." Greg continued. "_And I owe it all to the time I spend at the Super Macho Gym. Come on in today for your free three-day trial membership, and get started on your way to becoming a chick-magnet, like me_."

He winked at the camera as the image faded, and Greg smiled in complete satisfaction as he leaned back in his chair. The owner of the restaurant seemed somewhat less impressed, and Mac worked at that gym, so he needed to stay positive about it.

"Ah, the smell of success." He said. "What did you think of that one, Pete?"

"It's full of more cheese than my lasagna." The owner replied. "And I tell ya, I been going to that gym of yours for three years and I ain't _never_ had a girl throw herself at me like that."

This resumed a whole new discussion between them, allowing Mac to return to his thoughts. He was getting paid the next day, so he would be able to buy gloves and shorts and stuff like that, and he still had to tell Alice about his decision. Both of them worked, so they would still have enough money left over for bills, although they probably wouldn't be able to go out that much for the next two weeks. He didn't know why he was so nervous, since she had already promised to support him in whatever he wanted to do.

The rest of the day passed rather quickly, with business returning to normal at the gym until Mac's shift was over. Greg hated to manage things, but he was always okay for the evening hours that remained until it was time to close, but Mac had other things on his mind. Jogging home to his apartment, he saw that the car was already in his parking space, so now he went over in his head how he was going to tell Alice the good news.

"I'm home." He announced as he walked in. "Alice?"

"Back here, Mac." She called from the kitchen. "I'm making dinner."

She was stirring a pot of what would probably end up being macaroni and cheese, which was a favorite of hers, but Mac interrupted this process when he picked her up and spun her around. She dropped the large spoon as she did a mix of laughing and crying out in surprise, but then they kissed as he set her back down.

"Alice, you wouldn't believe the day I had." He explained happily. "I got a raise, I'm getting a bonus at the end of the month, I think I might have insurance now, and I'm signing up to fight in the Minors on Friday."

She was supportive as always, and agreed that they would go without going out for the next two weeks so that he could get the things he needed, but Alice also seemed a little nervous. She was never really big on fighting in general, especially since the arm-wrestling machine she had built back in junior high had nearly put him in the hospital.

"Mac, are you sure you're ready?" She asked once they had sat down to dinner. "I thought you said you were just looking for a trainer today."

"I was." Mac replied between bites. "I found a guy who fought in the Minors, and he was a _joke_. I tell you, Alice, if this is the kind of fighters they have in the Minor Circuit, then I'm good as gold. I'm gonna win on Friday, and then I'll keep winning until I get so rich and famous that I can buy us a big house, and then you'll never have to work another day in your life."

Their table was small, so it was easy for him to take her hands, and then everything else in the room seemed to vanish when she smiled at him. To say that he was in love with Alice was not quite a strong enough word to describe the way he felt about her. He wanted to take care of her, he wanted the two of them to have a future together, and he had a plan for this. On the night that he became a Minor Circuit Champion, he was going to ask her to marry him, right there on national television.

Everything was starting to fall into place. Tomorrow he would make sure that he was as ready as possible, and then on Friday night he would finally get the chance to prove to the world that Mac Little was somebody.


	6. Chapter 5 Signing Up

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 5: Signing Up**

Thursday seemed to fly by as Mac divided his time between his job and gathering what he needed for his debut in the Minor Circuit, and soon the day had arrived. Greg had given him the day off so that he would be well rested, and even offered to pay the entrance fee, provided that Mac promoted the gym whenever the chance arose. Unfortunately, Alice had a night class on that day so she wouldn't be able to come since finals were coming up, but he wasn't worried about it since it was only his first fight.

She would have plenty of other opportunities to cheer for him as he fought his way through the Minors and eventually into the Major Circuit, and besides, he was a little nervous so it would make things a little easier on his first night to not worry so much about impressing her. Signing up was done in the late afternoon, so the sun was still up when he headed to the arena where everything took place. The location was nice since it was only about a twenty minute walk from his apartment, but it just didn't have the prestige most people wanted.

Mac wished that he was heading over to _Madison Square Garden_, but only the Majors took place there, so instead he headed down to a much lesser known place where the Majors _used_ to happen. It was an old arena called _Gleason's _that had been built back in the 50's when the W.V.B.A. had first been taken over by Hoy Quarlow, and it certainly showed its age. The lights, construction, and even the parking lot gave an old world feel that had come to be associated with the Minor Circuit, and the people had rejected several offers to renovate it.

People were already purchasing tickets at the main entrance, and the line was almost around the block when Mac arrived, but he wasn't going to wait in it like the last time he had been there. This time he went around the back to the fighters' entrance; following a group of people through the doors and into a hallway that was from another time. All along the walls were posters for long ago bouts such as _Jerome "Doc" Louis Vs. Raj "Great Tiger" Kumar_, and the infamous title bout of _Gabriel "Gabby" Jay Vs. Nick Bruiser_.

"Next." A voice from up ahead announced.

The group he had entered with had formed into a line, and one by one the newcomers would sign up for the fights before being given a list of rules. The regular competitors wouldn't be arriving until later, so there was no chance of running into anyone famous while waiting in line, but then Mac realized that he still hadn't chosen a stage name. Now the line seemed to be moving faster as he looked around desperately for something to give him inspiration, but then his turn came, and the man at the booth glared at him while offering the pen.

For a moment he started to sweat as he slowly took the pen, but then he relaxed as he remembered seeing the old posters. After all, Nick Bruiser hadn't used a stage name, so neither would he, so he moved the pen to the first open block on the paper and wrote: _Little, Mac_. Now the world was sure to learn that he really _was_ somebody, and if he was lucky, maybe Mac Little would become a household name.

"Take a left into the practice room." The man said as he gave Mac a paper. "Locker room will be on the right, and match assignments will be delivered shortly."

Mac nodded as he took the paper, and then he followed the man's directions, entering a preparation room that resembled a gym once through the door. Some of the newcomers were already dressed, and some of their outfits were certainly interesting, but he had himself to worry about for the time being. All of his equipment was in the gym bag that was over his shoulder, so he went into the locker room, only to jump back in surprise as a young man in purple bell-bottoms jumped out at him before striking a pose that was straight out of Saturday Night Fever.

"Ha, _Disco Kid _coming at ya!" He declared before offering his hand. "I'm Kenny Jenkins, nice to meet ya."

"Mac Little." Mac replied as they shook hands. "Disco Kid, huh? That's, um, pretty creative."

"I know, right? When I'm a Champion, I'm gonna have'em hang a giant disco ball for my entrance theme. Come find me once you're dressed, we'll warm up together."

Mac nodded as Kenny walked out of the locker room, and then he started to get changed while looking at the sheet of paper that he had been given by the man in the booth. It was titled: _W.V.B.A. Minor Circuit Official Rules_.

1) All bouts are restricted to three rounds, and a loss will occur in any of four circumstances: _Knockout_; a competitor is unable to get to his feet after a knockdown before the count of ten. _Technical Knockout_; a competitor is knocked down three times in a single round. _Towel Throw_; a competitor willingly forfeits the bout. _Split Decision_; neither competitor has been declared the winner after the third round and the Referee decides the winner.

2) Winning three consecutive bouts qualifies a competitor for a _Title Bout_. There are many Champions in the Minor Circuit, and defeating any one of them qualifies a competitor for transfer into the Major Circuit, or they may continue to defend their title in the Minor Circuit. In the event that a Champion transfers, the two highest ranked non title-holding competitors will be allowed to face each other to claim it.

3) The W.V.B.A. is an entertainment based industry, so creative personas and unexpected twists during a bout are encouraged as to keep the viewers guessing, however there have recently been some concerns about safety. Therefore, only _non-lethal _weapons and tactics have been authorized to be used during any W.V.B.A. bout.

"Wait, that's it?" Mac asked as he reached the rest of the paper. "What about regulations? What about fairness?"

There was no one else in the locker room at the moment to answer his questions, so he got dressed and went back into the practice room just as some commotion was starting on the other side. Everyone was pushing and shoving to get over to where some officials were setting up a board that had all of their names on it, and Mac was about to join them when Kenny got in his path once again.

"Hey, Mac!" He said excitedly. "You're not gonna believe it! They're puttin me against Kid Quick!"

"That's great, Kenny." Mac replied while trying to look past the crowd. "I'm gonna go see who I got, and then we'll warm up, okay?"

Kenny patted him on the shoulder while heading toward some of the training equipment, and then Mac's mouth ran dry as he joined the crowd. It was slowly thinning out as each newcomer found out who their opponent was going to be, and it seemed like hours had passed before he was finally given a chance to see. There were a dozen fights scheduled for the newcomers; each of them paired with a regular fighter in order to guarantee the most entertainment for the viewers.

Somewhere in the middle of the list, Mac finally found his name, but then he froze after following the line with his finger to the name of his opponent:

Kota "_Piston_" Honda.


	7. Chapter 6 First Fight

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 6: First Fight**

Eventually the sun had set as Mac took his time warming up for what was sure to be the most important night in his life, so he considered himself, at least in body, to be well prepared by the time that the first fighters were called. He wasn't allowed to go into the arena itself until his own turn, but there was a small TV set mounted on the wall, where Mac and the others could watch how their fellow newcomers did. Soon the same man from the booth called for the _Disco Kid _to report to the ring, so he and Kenny did a fist-pound with their gloves before Mac's new friend vanished through the door.

He joined the others in front of the TV as soon as that door closed, and one of the other newcomers had to adjust the antenna to clear up the static just in time for them to see Kenny climbing up into the ring. His opponent was already waiting in the opposite corner, and Irving "_Kid Quick_" Jackson did not appear too happy to see him, shaking his head and frowning while stretching his arms high above his trademark afro.

"Welcome back, Ladies and Gentlemen." The Referee said once the microphone was lowered. "The W.V.B.A. Minor Circuit promises even more non-stop action to come with this next bout, where yet another newcomer is hoping to secure his place in our great history by facing one of our celebrated greats. Introducing first, weighing in at 210 lbs. and wearing purple bell-bottoms; I give you the _Disco Kid_!"

The crowd cheered as Kenny faced them while smiling and waving his arms, but his opponent just stood there glaring at him.

"And his opponent." The Referee continued. "Also weighing in at 210 lbs. and wearing white trunks with red trim; the man you love to hate, _Kid Quick_!"

There was a mixture of cheers and boos' as Kid Quick gave out some rather inappropriate gestures to the crowd, and then the microphone was retracted into the ceiling as the Referee motioned for both fighters to approach. They did so, and then the signal was given for the bout to begin as the Referee stepped out of the way. Kenny wasted no time in going after Kid Quick, and his unusually flamboyant attacks were flashy and fun to look at, but they also gave his opponent plenty of time to get out of the way. Each attack that landed, however, seemed to be quite effective as Kid Quick stumbled back, but then he came back with a hard right that caught Kenny right in the mouth.

Everyone watching in the preparation room winced a little as Kenny was knocked off his feet, and the Referee began his count. There was a collective sigh of relief as he got to his feet, but then another wince as Kid Quick's next hook caught him in the side of the head. This time Kenny wasn't able to get up before the count reached 10, and the bell rang in declaration that Kid Quick was the winner. There was no time for Mac to wait to see how his new friend was doing, or to even react at all as the man from before came back in to call him out to the ring.

This was it. He was going to definitely check on Kenny after his own fight, but for now he needed to be focused. The man led him out of the room, and down a long hallway to a set of double doors where the murmurs of the crowd could be heard beyond. Mac had been waiting what felt like his whole life for this, and a slight knot formed in his stomach as the doors opened and he could see the emblem of the red cobra stretched across the ring. Like Kenny had just done, he walked down the aisle and climbed into the ring where his opponent, Kota "Piston" Honda was waiting for him. The Asian fighter was more muscular than Kid Quick, so hopefully he wouldn't be as fast, but those arms looked like they could do some serious damage.

"Get ready for the next bout, Ladies and Gentlemen." The Referee said into the microphone. "Introducing first, our fifth newcomer for the evening, weighing in at 107 lbs. and wearing green trunks with black tank; _Little Mac_!"

"It's _Mac Little_!" He shouted ineffectively against the cheering crowd.

There was nothing he could do about the name for the time being, so he simply smiled and waved at the crowd in a less flashy way than Kenny had done.

"And his opponent." The Referee continued. "Weighing in at 235 lbs. and wearing black trunks; the man with a T.K.O. from Tokyo, _Piston Honda_!"

The crowd roared with excitement at this fan-favorite as the microphone was retracted into the ceiling, and then the Referee motioned for both fighters to approach.

"All right, give them a good show." The Referee said once they were in the center. "Now keep it clean, and come out boxing. Fight!"

He backed away as both competitors raised their gloves, and it was Piston Honda that attacked first as he threw out a powerful left hook. Mac ducked down to avoid it, and then came back up with his own powerful punch, and the crowd cheered as his fist connected with the side of his opponent's head. Piston Honda stumbled sideways. The muscular fighter seemed genuinely surprised by getting such a hard hit from such a smaller person, but unlike Kid Quick, he wasn't angry when he recovered. Piston Honda actually smiled as he came toward Mac, and his next hook was avoided just like before, but this time he immediately followed up with an uppercut that caught Mac completely off guard.

He was knocked to his feet and took a few staggering steps backwards before sliding down the turn-buckle on his way to the mat, but Mac wasn't done yet. Mac was back up by the time the count reached 5, and now he was going on the offensive once the Referee gave the command to fight. No longer waiting for Piston Honda to attack, he came at him with a flurry of jabs and hooks that his opponent managed to block as they went around the ring, but then his opponent took several steps back.

Stopping once he was well out of Mac's punching range, Piston Honda raised his eyebrows a few times, and then came charging forward with a fast jab. Mac managed to block the first one, but not the second, third, or even seventh attack as _Piston_ Honda showed him, as well as the entire audience why he had been named so. The jabs just kept coming, striking Mac several times in the head and body as he was backed up into the turn-buckle, and they did not stop there. The punches just kept coming and coming until his ears were ringing while his vision tilted to the side, and then his opponent backed off so that Mac had plenty of room to fall on his face.

The count began a few seconds later, and as much as Mac wanted to get up, he found it to be quite impossible to do so. Never in his life had he received such a thorough beating as the one he had just gotten from Piston Honda, and soon the crowd cheered as the Referee reached 10. Camera flashes from the crowd could now be seen as his opponent did a victory pose while flexing his biceps, and it was just now starting to sink into Mac's head that he had lost. He tried to get up, but was still unable to do so, and thankfully there was already a team on standby to pick him up and carry him away from the ring.

He was moved onto a stretcher, and it almost felt like he was floating as he was carried back down the aisle. Soon the double doors were upon him, and the last thing he saw before leaving the arena was his opponent, Piston Honda, bowing to him.


	8. Chapter 7 Old School

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 7: Old School**

Through the door, Mac could hear the muffled cheers of the crowd as the matches went on, but he didn't bother watching the TV as the preparation room slowly emptied of newcomers. He just sat there on one of the benches, leaning back against the wall as some of them limped away in defeat while a very select few made plans to come back for their next fight. Kenny had long ago been one of the ones who limped away, but something held Mac there.

His defeat at the hands of Piston Honda replayed over and over again in his mind, and as much as he tried to figure out what he had done wrong, nothing came to him. Mac would've loved to be able to say that he just had a bad night, or that he had been suddenly gripped by an old injury, but none of that was true. The truth was that he had lost because his opponent was a better fighter than he was, and that was that.

Eventually he fought through enough of the self-pity to stand up and start getting dressed, mostly because everything was over and the whole place would be closing in about a half hour, so now he concentrated on what he was going to tell Alice. He already knew that she would say that it didn't matter to her whether he won or lost, but he wished that just once he would be able to accomplish something that made her truly proud of him.

"Now, I'd know _that_ look anywhere." A voice said behind him. "Your first loss, right kid?"

Mac slowly turned around and saw that it was an older man who was speaking to him. A slightly overweight man whose old red and blue sweat suit was contradicted by the half-eaten candy bar in his hand. Without waiting for a reply, he walked over to the bench and sat down as Mac was just finishing putting his regular clothes back on.

"Yeah, my first loss." Mac replied sadly. "My big night in the spotlight, and I blew it."

"Aw, don't take it so hard, kid." The older man replied. "So you got whooped by Honda; it happens. I remember _my _first loss like it was yesterday, and let me tell you from experience that the beating you took tonight ain't_ nothin _compared to what the Great Tiger did to me twenty years ago. I swear, it was like there was_ five _of him all comin at me at once, but the film reel showed nothin but me gettin beat down."

Mac's interest was piqued by this story, not because of the details of the older man's loss, but because of the name that he said. A very clear memory of seeing an old fight poster now soared into his mind, and he almost couldn't believe it when he realized who it was that was sitting next to him.

"Loss to Great Tiger?" He asked. "Oh my God, are you Doc Louis?"

"Once upon a time, sure." He replied while taking the last bite of his candy bar. "Although most people just call me Jerome now. Point I'm tryin to make kid, is that everyone loses. Even _Nick Bruiser _lost once, and if you wanna talk about humiliating defeats, that one beats all."

Mac knew what he was talking about, and he had even seen the old film reel once in which the invincible Nick Bruiser had been knocked out by Gabby Jay in a title fight. There had been plenty of excuses thrown out, like Nick tripping and hitting his head too hard on the mat, or the unproven theory that the fight had been fixed, but the reality was that Gabriel "Gabby" Jay had become the World Champion of the W.V.B.A. He quickly lost the title, and Nick had become Champion again a short time later, but that defeat would always be there.

"So here's the real question, kid." Doc continued as he walked over to the waste basket. "What are you gonna do now? Give up? Retire? Or are you start training and make a comeback? You did pretty good against Honda until he got you with that special rush of his, and your trainer must've been workin you _hard_ for this since most newcomers can't even take three of his hits and you took more than ten."

"But I don't have a trainer." Mac replied.

Now it was Doc Louis's turn to be stunned, and the older man said nothing for a few seconds as he let the wrapper from his candy bar fall into the waste basket. It looked like he was trying to say something a few times, but the words just wouldn't come out until he walked back over to Mac and sat back down on the bench.

"You don't have a trainer?" He asked. "Are you tellin me that you did _that_ good against Piston Honda, one of the greatest fighters in the Minor Circuit, _without _a trainer? You've had _some_ trainin, though, right?"

"Well, I've worked at the Super Macho Gym since I was 15, so I keep myself in good shape." Mac explained. "And I've been getting into fights my whole life because I was always small, so I had to kinda figure it out along the way."

Doc Louis had a look on his face that told the whole world that he couldn't believe what he was hearing. Again he tried to talk a few times, but ended up pacing back and forth a bit once he got to his feet. This behavior was starting to make Mac nervous, on top of the fact that the man standing in front of him was one of the greatest boxers to ever enter the ring.

"I looked for a trainer." Mac continued. "But the only one I could find was a guy named Joe Laviere, but he wasn't exactly what I was looking for."

Mac started to say something else, but stopped as Doc shook his head. The older man then chuckled to himself for a second before leaning back against the wall.

"Joe Laviere." He said. "We all used to call him _Glass Joe_. I don't know why on _Earth_ that man ever became a fighter, and I didn't believe him when he said he was retiring to open up his own boxing school. Hey, kid, you said you work at that Super Macho place, right? The one with all the bikini girls in the commercials?"

"Yeah, that's the one." Mac replied. "Why?"

Doc Louis didn't say anything. Instead he just laughed to himself as he started walking toward the door.

"This place is gonna close soon, so you better head out." The older man said as he walked out of the room. "I'll see you soon, kid."


	9. Chapter 8 Obsession

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 8: Obsession**

Breathing heavily as he sprinted down the dark alley, Mac had to jump over fallen garbage cans and avoid derelict shopping carts while looking for a place to hide. He finally found a spot behind what remained of a wooden fence, and thankfully it was out of the areas illuminated by the flickering street lights. He couldn't remember how he had gotten there, or why he was dressed for a boxing match, but none of this seemed important as a very large figure ran through the very edge of the light. It stopped in the darkness, but Mac could still see its shadow as it looked around, and he tried to keep his breathing quiet so that it wouldn't hear him.

Suddenly all of the street lights became so bright that the whole alley was lit up as if it were high noon, and the now visible figure roared as it charged after him. There was no choice for him but to run away, even though he couldn't quite wrap his head around how ridiculous this situation was. It was not a criminal that was chasing him, nor was it the police or even a big scary clown. It was a gorilla. A massive brown and white gorilla, and for some strange reason it was wearing a large red tie. For a moment he wondered how a gorilla would ever learn to tie a tie in the first place, but then it roared and Mac decided to just focus on running.

There were so many cans and carts that he had to avoid that it was hard to run at full speed, but the gorilla didn't seem to have this problem as he could hear its heavy steps getting closer and closer. It would be on him at any second, but then he spotted a possible escape in the form of a ladder up ahead. Somehow the gorilla didn't catch him as he jumped onto it, and as Mac climbed, he started to hear what sounded like the cheers of a crowd. The ladder only took him up to a little above the street lights, where it ended at a large square platform.

The cheering of the crowd got louder as he crawled up onto it, and when he stood up, he gasped as he realized that it was a boxing ring. The ropes and turn-buckles were already set up, and he was standing on the red cobra emblem of the Minor Circuit. The bell rang a second later, but it was drowned out by a crash of thunder, and then it began to rain as he noticed someone else standing in the opposite corner.

This person was also dressed for a fight, and the next flash of lightning allowed Mac to see that his opponent looked just like him as he approached. Well, this guy had blond hair, but except for that it was like looking into a mirror. He was so taken back and confused by this, that he wasn't even able to react as his blond twin struck him with an uppercut to the chin as soon as he was close enough. This sudden attack was powerful enough to not only knock him off his feet, but it also sent him flying right over the top rope.

There was no time to scream before he landed on his back in the middle of the alley, and now Mac found himself unable to move as his opponent looked down at him.

"Piece of cake." His blond twin said while turning away.

Mac was just starting to be able to move, when the gorilla was suddenly on him, and then he found himself quickly sitting up in his own bed. Just like last time, it took a few seconds for him to realize that he was in his bedroom, and just like with the clown, the gorilla and his blond twin had just been another nightmare. At least this time he hadn't woken up Alice, since she was lying next to him while sleeping peacefully, and he didn't feel like trying to go back to sleep, so he decided to get up for the day.

There was nothing on Television, and he didn't feel like reading, so Mac decided to take a long hot shower. There was no rush, since he still had a couple hours before he even needed to wake up, so he just stood there in the bathtub, trying to relax as the hot water rained down on his head. He had always been into boxing, but never in his life had it consumed his mind like it was doing now, and it was even worse since getting knocked out by Piston Honda. For a moment he thought that Kenny had the right idea by just walking away from it all, but then Doc Louis's words pulled him back.

In a way, his failure in the Minor Circuit still accomplished his original goal of seeing where he was in regards to being ready for serious boxing, and the results were that he was not prepared at all for the W.V.B.A. What he needed to do was find a trainer; someone who knew boxing like the back of their hand, and who could teach him what he really needed to succeed. Someone like Doc Louis for instance, but that seemed pretty unlikely. There was also no way that he would ever enroll at _Glass Joe's _boxing school, so where was he going to find someone?

He stood there thinking about this until the water started getting cold, and then he quickly turned it off while hoping there would be more hot water by the time Alice had to get up. It did not take long after that for him to finish getting cleaned up and dressed for work, but he still had over an hour before he even had to get up. Only then did it dawn on him that having a key to the gym meant that he could go in whenever he wanted, so Mac decided that he would get rid of some frustration by going in for an extra early workout.

"Gonna make a comeback." He said to himself as he went out the door. "I'm gonna be the best."

He locked the door behind him before walking away from the apartment and starting to jog down the sidewalk. The street lights sort of reminded him of his dream since it would still be a while before the sun came up, but thankfully there were no gorillas or evil twins to chase him as he headed toward the gym. Now that his blood was pumping because of the run, Mac was starting to feel more confident. No matter what it took, he was going to find a trainer and then things were going to be very different the next time he appeared in the Minor Circuit.

Mac was going to intensify all of his workouts. He would run more, lift more, and even if Joe Laviere was a terrible boxing instructor, maybe he could get him in touch with someone who actually knew what they were doing. A new plan was now starting to take shape in his mind, and instead of consoling him, Alice would soon be cheering him on as he dominated not only the Minors, but the entire W.V.B.A. as well.

By this time he was nearing the Super Macho Gym, so he slowed down in order to get his keys out of his pocket, but continued to jog in place as he unlocked the door. It was nowhere near opening time yet, so he locked the door again once he was inside, and then turned on the lights. For now, everything in the place was at his disposal, and he would have to talk to Greg about how to order some training equipment, even if Mac had to pay for it himself. Yes, this was the beginning of an all new Mac Little, or rather - an all new _Little Mac_. And now it was time to get to work.


	10. Chapter 9 New Developments

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 9: New Developments**

It was difficult to focus on his job while all he could think about was training for another fight, but Mac did his best to do so. After all, this job was how he paid his bills, so he got everything cleaned up, and opened the gym on time like he always did. Thankfully no one seemed to notice who he was as the first few hours of the morning went on, but that all changed about an hour before lunch. Mac was just coming out of the locker rooms from restocking the towels, when he saw none other than Doc Louis standing at the front desk, smiling as he talked to the girl who was working there.

"See, that's me there." He said while pointing to an old photograph that he took from his pocket. "That's me and Fritz _"Von Kaiser" _Krieger right before our fight back in '61."

"1961?" The girl behind the desk asked. "Wow, I wasn't even _born_ yet."

Doc just gave her a weak smile before hanging his head and walking away from the desk, but then he saw Mac, and his spirits went back up. He waved to him, and of course they shook hands when Mac reached him, but there was one question burning in his mind. A gym didn't seem like the kind of place someone like Doc would want to spend their free time, since he was eating another candy bar, so what was he doing there?

"Nice to see you again, Doc." Mac said. "What, um - what are you doing here?"

"Well, I thought I'd come see what this place was all about." He replied. "That, and I wanted to talk to the owner; see if any of Rodriguez's stuff didn't get thrown away when he bought the place."

Mac was about to ask who Rodriguez was, but they were interrupted as they had to step back from each other in order to let a couple of the gym's members through. He thought nothing of this, that is, until the second guy stopped to take a second look at him. Then his worst fears came to pass as the member's eyes widened and he tapped his partner on the shoulder.

"Hey, it's him." He said excitedly to the other guy. "It's Little Mac, the guy who got _train-wrecked _by Piston Honda the other night."

"Aw, man, you're right." The first guy replied once he looked at Mac. "Man, I need to ask you somethin: What was it like to take a _whoopin _like that? I thought for sure you'd be in the hospital, but you must be tougher than you look."

Mac tried to be polite as they brought up the most humiliating night of his life, and of course, they wanted to go over every painstaking detail of his loss. Thankfully they had better things to do than stand around with him all day, so eventually they left, and Mac decided to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"So, who's Rodriguez?" He asked before Doc could say anything.

"Oh, Ricardo Rodriguez owned this place before your boss." The older man replied. "You probably know him better as the _Masked Muscle_. Now there was a real dirty fighter, always spittin in the other guy's eyes, but he was still a fan favorite until Mr. Quarlow kicked him out for tryin to rig a fight. He used his money to open this place, but he was no good with money, so he was forced to sell everything, and that's the last anyone heard of him."

Mac knew most of the names of the W.V.B.A.'s older fighters, so he had heard the name Masked Muscle before, that was about it. Still, it was an interesting story, and he would've asked more about it if Greg had not walked up a second later. The two of them must've already talked, since Greg seemed like he knew Doc, but what was all this about, and what kind of things did Doc thing Rodriguez would've left behind.

"Yeah, the stuff's still here." Greg said while motioning for them to follow him. "You know, I almost forgot that this part of the building even existed."

Mac followed the two of them down the hallway where the doors to the office and the locker rooms were located, and then Greg opened a door at the end that he had always assumed was some kind of utility closet. However, once the lights were flipped on and the dust settled from their intrusion, Mac was left in awe at what was in front of him. The ropes had been taken down, and the mat was covered with dust, but _anyone_ would have been able to see what it had once been.

"A boxing ring?" Mac asked in disbelief.

Not only was there a ring, but there was other equipment like speed bags and heavy bags collecting dust as well. There were old training helmets, extra sets of gloves that were probably not so good anymore, and even doors into the regular locker rooms that Mac had also assumed were utility closets.

"Greg, why didn't you tell me about this stuff?" He continued.

"Well, you never asked." His boss replied. "Heck, you never even told me you had any interest in being a boxer until the day I did the last commercial. And besides, without a trainer, it wouldn't have done you much good anyway."

"And that's why _I'm_ here, kid." Doc added. "Greg already said I can use this old place to train you after work hours, and I'm gonna do that for two reasons. The first is that you got talent, kid. With a lota hard work and the right trainin, you could go all the way to the Major Circuit, so meet me back here after you get off work, and we'll get this place cleaned up."

Mac couldn't believe what he was hearing. Jerome_ "Doc" _Louis, one of the greatest fighters in the history of the W.V.B.A. had just offered to be his trainer, and now he even had a private boxing ring. It was almost like he was having one of the best dreams of his life, and it was tempting to pinch himself to make sure that he wasn't, but that would've just made him look silly. Once again everything was starting to fall into place, but there was one last thing that Mac was thinking about.

"What was the second thing, Doc?" He asked. "You said there were _two_ reasons you were gonna train me."

"The second one is that I'm _bored_, kid." Doc replied. "Retirement _sounds_ nice; no bills, no job, no responsibilities. But all I do with my time lately is go to fights and watch _Johnny Carson_, so I need to get active again."

His reasons made sense, and now Mac was getting really excited. He couldn't wait to get home that night and tell Alice about these new developments, especially with how worried she had been about his depression after losing the fight. Things were now definitely looking up for him, and his goal remained the same: Become a Champion of the W.V.B.A. Minor Circuit, and then ask her to marry him.

"I can watch the place for now, Mac." Greg said. "Who knows, if you get this place looking good, I might even open it up to the public. And after you hit your winning streak, everyone's gonna want to go to the gym where _Little Mac _trains."

Greg had a talent for putting a spin on things that would help himself out as well as helping others, and Mac was going to make sure that this one worked out for both of them. Oh, he was going to hit a winning streak all right, but first he had to get his new ring into working order. Ropes needed to be hooked up, equipment needed to be cleaned or replaced, and then it would be time for some serious training.

And with _Doc Louis_ as his trainer, how could he lose?


	11. Chapter 10 Strategy

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 10: Strategy**

It took the rest of the day, as well as the evening, and all of the next day as well, but finally the Masked Muscle's old training facility in the back of the Super Macho Gym was ready. The gloves and one of the speed bags needed to be replaced since they had rotted from lack of use, but everything else was still in working order. Thanks to the extra money that Mac had accidently negotiated into his salary, getting the couple new things they needed was easy, and now it was time for his Minor Circuit training to begin.

Doc Louis hadn't been kidding about making him the best, and the new workouts that Mac had to endure certainly reflected this claim. Every day after work they would spend a _minimum_ of three hours doing things like going over combinations with the pads, working the heavy and speed bags, or doing marathon runs where Mac would try to keep up with Doc as he pedaled around New York on an old bicycle. This last one wouldn't have been so bad if not for the old sweat suit that Mac had to wear, even though Doc had sworn to him that the pink color was the result of the original red fading over the years.

This went on for a couple weeks, with Mac eagerly learning all of the routines and mastering the workout regiments that Doc had set for him, but then one day he got a surprise. He met Doc in the training room like always, but this time Greg, all of the other employees, and even Alice were there. They were sitting in a row of chairs that had been set up near the ring, but Doc motioned for him to come into the ring itself where he was standing, before he could say anything to them.

"Let me ask you somethin, kid." Doc said as Mac climbed into the ring. "When you got in the ring with Honda, what was your strategy?"

"My strategy?" Mac replied while taking another look at the small crowd. "Uh – win?"

The older man almost choked from the laughter that followed, and then he shook his head once he got himself back under control. Mac had to admit that he found this pretty funny himself, looking back on it, but now he was more concerned with why that question had been asked in the first place. That, and why there was a crowd to watch him today.

"Strategy is _everything_, kid." His trainer continued. "But you're not always gonna know your opponent before you get in the ring, and it's a _lot_ harder to think when you're in front of a crowd. Without a plan, kid, you're gonna get creamed in the W.V.B.A., so in order to help you take this lesson to heart, I brought you a sparin partner. Come on out, Bradley!"

The locker room door opened, and Mac's jaw dropped as a gigantic man who looked about Doc's age came into the training area. There was no mystery here; he knew darn well who Bradley _"King Hippo" _Johnson was, but he was a little shocked to see him walking toward the ring with boxing gloves on his fists. Like Doc, this man was one of the greatest fighters from the early days of the W.V.B.A., and now he was going _spar_ with him?

"All right, listen kid." Doc said as the gigantic man climbed into the ring. "You're gonna have to use your _mind_ to win, and don't go thinkin this is gonna be easy cause' of his age. Bradley's defense is almost perfect, and I promise that you will _not_ be able to block his punches when he attacks."

"Aw, he'll figure it out, Jerome." Bradley replied as he reached the center of the ring. "And if he doesn't – then loser buys lunch."

Bradley laughed at his own joke, and Mac had to admit that he was frightened by the prospect of how much it would probably cost to feed a guy his size. But there was no more time to think about this as Doc gave the signal for the bout to start, and Mac didn't want to give the big guy a chance to do anything but lose. He came at him with a fast right to the face, but his opponent smacked his fist away as if it were nothing. Next he tried to circle around Bradley while throwing a jab at his stomach and then a second attempt at his face, but his opponent easily blocked these as well before coming back with his own jab.

_King Hippo's _punch was slow, and Mac wanted to test how powerful it really was, so he blocked, but the force behind the blow was still enough to make him stumble backwards. The small crowd was now cheering the fighters on, and he didn't want to disappoint Alice, so he came up with a new plan as he moved forward. Bradley's defense was good, like Doc said, but could he still defend as well if his attack was avoided? It didn't take long for an opportunity to test this out once his opponent threw out another jab, and Mac attacked immediately after avoiding it, but once again Bradley just swatted his fist away.

The only way to win now seemed to be moving faster than the big man, but then Bradley opened his mouth wide and gave a battle cry while throwing out the most wicked haymaker that Mac ever had the misfortune of experiencing. This attack caught him completely off-guard, and not only went right through his defenses, but also knocked him off his feet. Hitting the mat hard, and actually sliding a little before coming to a stop, it took him a second to realize that the count had already begun.

"Get up, Mac!" Alice yelled. "Get up!"

Doc had already reached _four_ by the time the room stopped spinning, and it took a lot of effort, but Mac was able to get back on his feet by the time the count reached _eight_, so he was still in the fight. Bradley came at him with another yelling haymaker the moment their bout resumed, and Mac was sure that there was no way for the big man to defend himself while throwing out such a wild attack. So he moved back and felt the wind from the haymaker as it just barely missed him, and Mac responded with a left hook to the body, that to his astonishment, was just as easily swatted away.

"Come on, kid,_ think_!" Doc exclaimed as Mac was reduced to doing nothing but avoiding Bradley's attacks. "He's _not_ undefeated; you can do it!"

Mac was starting to get tired from the constant dodging and failed attempts to block, which landed him on the mat a second time until just barely being able to get up at the count of nine. Bradley, on the other hand, didn't seem to be losing any energy at all. He just kept coming with attack after powerful attack, and soon Mac was backed into the corner. Another yelling haymaker would knock him down for the third time, and that was a _Technical Knockout _in the W.V.B.A. even if he was still able to get up. They both knew it was coming, and there was no way to avoid it, so Mac threw out a last desperate punch just as Bradley was opening his mouth.

The crowd, Doc, Bradley, and especially Mac were all taken by surprise when his glove finally hit the target, and the big man reeled back while bringing up his gloves to protect his face. It was almost as if Mac went on auto-pilot as he attacked his opponent's now exposed stomach, and it might have been because the big man was already off balance, but three powerful hooks to the body later Bradley went down. The whole ring shook as the big man fell against the closest ropes and sunk to the mat, and the next surprise came when Doc's count reached ten - and the big man had not managed to get back up yet.

He had won. A Knockout was declared, and the small crowd cheered as he and Doc helped the big man back up to his feet. Bradley was fine after a few seconds, and this was a relief to Mac because of his age, but that wasn't where his mind was at the moment. His mind was focused on Alice, who was now cheering for him and clapping as she jumped up and down, and now his confidence was restored to the level it had been at when he had first tried to enter the Minor Circuit.

So it was decided. He would spend one more week training with Doc just to make sure that he was ready, and then he would return to the Minors to make his comeback.


	12. Chapter 11 Return To The Minors

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 11: Return To The Minors**

The next week seemed to fly by as Mac had Doc push him to the limits to make sure that he was ready, and before he knew it, Friday was upon him. Memories and broken dreams from his first attempt at entering the W.V.B.A. Minor Circuit were flooding his mind as he made his way across town to that same arena, but this time he was not alone. Doc was there to be in his corner every step of the way, and he had managed to get third-row tickets for both Alice and Greg, so it was like having a whole team to support him.

This made him feel a lot better since he had to go it alone last time, but it also made him a little apprehensive. Mac was far better prepared for his fight this time, but everyone would be there to see it if he lost again. No, he needed to keep those thoughts out of his head. He had spent the last month being trained by one of the greatest fighters to ever live, and this time whoever he was up against was in a lot of trouble.

"I'm gonna go sign you in, kid." Doc said as they approached the mid-point between entrances. "Be right back."

"And I'm gonna go get some popcorn." Greg said excitedly as while continuing on toward the front door. "Don't worry, Alice, I'll get you some too, just make sure no one tries to steal our seats."

This left Mac alone with Alice for what was probably going to be the last time until tonight's bouts were over, and he was about to give her a hug while thanking her for being so good to him and always being there, but at that moment a stranger moved in between them and faced away from Mac while quickly putting his arm around Alice's waist.

"Well, hello there, my darling." He said with a light Spanish accent. "It is I, the answer to your prayers."

"Ewww, get the hell away from me." She replied while pushing him away.

"Hey, buddy, what's your problem?" Mac demanded as he moved around to get in between him and Alice.

"Problem?" The man asked with a smile. "There is no problem. I am merely rewarding this young lady for her beauty by allowing her the privilege of being on my arm for tonight, and she is _obviously_ overwhelmed by my manly charms."

"Oh, ick." Alice grumbled. "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little."

"Okay, look, I don't want any trouble." Mac said with a sigh. "Alice is with me, so how about we forget that any of this ever happened and just go our separate ways?"

"_I don't want any trouble_." The other man mocked. "Jeeze, no wonder she doesn't know what to do around a _real_ man, but don't worry – _I'll _teach her."

Mac started to come forward, but was stopped when Alice put her hand on his shoulder. For a moment he was angry for stopping him as the other man walked away laughing, but then he was grateful. A sudden street fight with that guy might have ruined his second chance in the Minors, and who knew? Maybe he would get to see that man in the ring. Of course he didn't even know his name, and had never seen him before, but there was always hope.

"Thanks for defending me, Mac." Alice said as she hugged him. "You're the best boyfriend in the world."

He hugged her back, and managed to forget about that rude guy for a moment as they kissed. By this time the line at the door was getting longer with last-minute ticket buyers, and she needed to save her and Greg's seats, so she had to go. She blew him another kiss before vanishing through the door, and then she was gone. This allowed his anger to come back up for a moment as the encounter with that rude guy replayed over and over in his mind, and it was really hard to focus on anything else.

"All right, kid, you're in." Doc said as he came back. "Let's get you into the locker room so you get time to warm up."

He sighed as he followed Doc toward the doors where this week's group of newcomers were lined up, but to his surprise they bypassed the line completely, and entered a different locker room than he had been in before. When he asked about this, Doc laughed and explained that because he was a returning fighter, he not only got to use the regular facilities, but he would also get _paid_ for his fight even if he lost. Well, the losing prize was only about half of what the winner got, so it was better to win.

"Okay, kid, get dressed and start warmin up." Doc continued. "I'm gonna go see who you're up against."

Doc walked back out the same door they entered from, and Mac quickly got dressed. He was starting to feel some of the anxiety that he had felt the first time, but then his thoughts stopped as he saw a very familiar person using one of the lockers across from his. It was Piston Honda, the one who had given him his first defeat, and Mac started to tense up, but then got confused as his former opponent lit a small candle. He set it in the center of the locker's bottom, and then he bowed down to the image of a man on an old fight poster that was labeled _Piston Hurricane_.

"This is my master." Piston Honda explained once he got up and blew out the candle. "It has been one year since his passing."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Mac replied.

Honda nodded to him, and then sat down on the bench after closing the door. He then put his trademark white headband around his forehead, and sighed.

"I am glad to see you return, Little Mac." He continued. "I hope that there are no hard feelings from our last fight, and I wish you the best of luck tonight."

"Yeah, um, no hard feelings." Mac replied uneasily as they shook hands. "Good luck to you, too."

Now he was finally starting to relax, and actually feeling good as he put on his gloves. Part of him had been worried about what would happen if he ran into Honda again, and now there was a chance that they could even become friends. He had also hoped to see Kenny again, but it looked like the _Disco Kid _had hung up his gloves for good.

"What you still sittin around for, kid?" Doc asked as he came in through the door. "You gotta get warmed up cause' you're tonight you're up against Heck-eck-icky, um, Hekk-ishy-kogagishi, um-

"_Heike Kagero_." Honda corrected as he stood up. "It looks like you will need even more luck than I wished you. Come, we will warm up together."

Mac also stood up, and then followed Doc and Honda over to some of the speed bags. He remembered hearing the name Heike Kagero before, but wasn't able to put a face with it. Oh well, for now he would just focus on warming up and staying focused, because tonight the world was going to see what the _new and improved _Little Mac could do.


	13. Chapter 12 Second Chance

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 12: Second Chance**

The feeling as Mac walked toward the ring for the second time in his life was almost like a reoccurring dream, where he already knew what was about to happen, and the whole scene was surreal. Just like when he had come down the aisle for his fight with Piston Honda, the crowd cheered and the ring itself had not changed a bit. This was expected, being that only about a month had passed since that time, and now it felt like only yesterday as he climbed through the ropes.

He had not bothered to watch any of the other fights while waiting for his bout to be called, instead focusing on warming up properly and keeping his mind on the task of defeating his opponent. It was good to have Doc Louis in his corner this time, and he also managed to spot Alice and Greg, since they were only in the third row and Alice was wildly waving her arms to get his attention.

Soon it was time to start, and as before, the Referee made his opening speech about non-stop action and all that, and then the crowd cheered once Mac had been introduced. He waved to the crowd and took a moment to enjoy the attention, but then everything quieted down again as the time came to introduce his opponent; a slender asian man with really long flowing hair and more make-up on than a rock star.

"And his opponent." The Referee continued. "Weighing in at 120 lbs. and wearing the purple trunks, the fabulous, furious fighter; _Heike Kagero_."

Mac found it hard to take this guy seriously as he pranced around while waving at the crowd. The audience seemed to have no trouble accepting him, and their cheers were louder than the ones that he had received. Oh well, they would learn who the real favorite was once he was standing victorious after the match was over, so they could cheer for Heike for now.

"Now watch this guy, kid." Doc said. "He might look a little strange, but from what I hear, he's a lot tougher than he looks."

"So am I, Doc." Mac replied with confidence. "So am I."

A few seconds later the Referee motioned for both fighters to come to the center of the ring for his last minute _keep it clean _speech, and then the bell rang and it was time to get serious. Not wanting to give his opponent time to make the first move, Mac came forward with a straight jab, but received the shock of his life when Heike not only dodged his attack, but then spun around so that his hair hit across Mac's face like a whip. It didn't hurt that much in itself, but it was enough to stop him from seeing the combination of three hooks that came to his face and body an instant later.

"Watch the hair, kid!" Doc yelled as Mac was forced back by the blows.

It was good advice, but Heike's hair was almost as long as Mac's arms, making it almost impossible to land a hit while it was being whipped around. At first he thought he could counter attack during this ridiculous move, but his opponent kept moving in different directions; sideways _or_ down and back up. The crowd appeared to be amused by this, but their laughter was not from surprise, but more like they had expected this to happen from seeing Heike's previous fights. He made a mental note as the next hair-whip went across his face, that he would have to start watching more fights again and possible get the films from old ones so that he would know what he was up against in the future.

On the other hand, the W.V.B.A. kept its fight schedule random until the last minute to prevent people from _fixing_ the bouts in favor of their wagers, but general knowledge was better than none. The laughter from the crowd was becoming annoying at this point as Mac was whipped again and again by his opponent's hair before being driven back by the quick blows that followed. Some of them he was able to block out of reflex, but this did him no good at all as far as actually _winning _the fight.

"Stick and move, kid!" Doc yelled. "Don't let him corner you!"

It was only then that Mac realized he was getting close to the turnbuckle, and this was probably his opponent's plan. Once he was against the ropes there would be no way to avoid that hair, and although this guy's punches were nowhere_ near _as powerful as some other people he had fought, they would eventually wear him down. He needed a new plan, and he started to try and move around the ring, but Heike would only follow him, but there had to be a way to get through his defenses. Another hair-whip stung his eyes as he was driven back, and the left hook that followed to his face came before he could regain his balance.

The crowd cheered for Heike as Mac tumbled to the mat, but he managed to get up by the time the Referee had reached a count of four. The match resumed just in time for the bell to ring, the traditional signal that the round was over, and both fighters returned to their corners. Mac did not try to hide the fact that he was getting angry at the way this fight was going, but he cooled down a little when Doc gave him some water. This was certainly not the way he had imagined his return to the Minors going, but there had to be a way.

"You can't let him corner you, kid." Doc said as he toweled off his forehead. "The only time he drops his guard is when he's whippin you, so you gotta make your move then before he can see you."

Doc was right; Mac could see nothing while all that hair was whipping around, but that meant that neither could Heike. If he could, then he would've attacked _during_ his trademark move instead of waiting until after. He would have to move fast if he was going to take him by surprise, but there was no more time for a plan as the bell rang to start the second round. Mac did not want to get hair-whipped again, but the move was on him the moment the Referee told them to fight. So out of desperation he dove forward, just barely avoiding the hair as he turned the dive into a roll that put him back on his feet behind his opponent.

He spun around to face Heike at the same time that the hair-whip was completed, but as his opponent stopped in mid-punch out of confusion as to why no one was there, Mac let out a battle cry as he threw out a haymaker that struck him in the back of the head. He didn't have the raw power behind this move that King Hippo had possessed, but it was more than enough to make Heike's hair float around as he slid across the mat on his face. The crowd was silent for a second, but then cheered as the Referee began his count. His opponent made an attempt to get up somewhere around the six count, but was unable to do so, and then, _finally_ the Referee reached ten, and it was over.

Mac's mind hadn't quite accepted it as the crowd cheered for him, but he had won. It finally dawned on him when he saw Alice whistling and cheering for him, but she had to stop for a second to try and avoid the popcorn that Greg was throwing around as a result of his own overly-excited cheers. So he raised his arms in victory as Heike was carried away just as he had been during his first fight, but now it was _Little Mac _who was standing victorious.


	14. Chapter 13 Grudge Match

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 13: Grudge Match**

There was no way to really describe how Mac was feeling as he was led away from the cheers of the crowd. Even when he was through the doors at the end of the aisle and back into the preparation room, his mind was still there, standing victorious at the center of the ring. Doc Louis had been called away by an official a few moments later, and Mac was feeling so good that he wasn't even curious as to what they were talking about. He was more focused on the memory of Alice cheering for him in the stands.

Most of the bouts for the night were done, so a lot of the fighters had already left or were too busy preparing for their own matches to offer him congratulations, which he completely understood, since he had felt the same way before his own. It would have been nice, though, to hear words of praise, or at least acceptance, from his fellow fighters. Of course, he didn't yet know most of them, and he would have to find a way to make friends. After all, Piston Honda seemed to like him just fine.

"Mac." Doc called while waving him over. "Come here, kid."

His trainer looked a little anxious, so he wasted no time in walking over to him. The official was still standing there, so this made Mac nervous as well. Had he done something wrong? Had he broken a rule in during his match that he wasn't aware of? Not that there were many rules to begin with, but still.

"Okay, kid, you got a decision to make." Doc said once he reached them. "Some of the newcomers left before their matches, probably got cold feet or somethin, and they're lookin to fill those spots. You already fought once tonight, so you don't have to, but you can have the next bout if you want."

"I'll do it." Mac immediately replied. "Who am I up against?"

"Don _Flamenco_ Raphael." The official explained with a slight laugh. "He's been here a few times; fancies himself some kind of a ladies man. Well, good luck, I'll give the boss the good news."

Mac was all smiles as the official walked away, but apparently Doc didn't share these feelings.

"I've seen this Flamenco guy before." His trainer said sternly. "I know you're feelin pretty pumped up from your first big win, but you got two things workin against you: First, your head's about big as the _Statue of Liberty _so you think you're invincible, and second, you are _not_ gonna be at a hundred percent for this."

"I understand, Doc." Mac replied. "I'll be careful and keep my head in the game, but if I do this and win, I'll only be _one _more match away from a title bout."

"Okay, kid. Come on, you're up right after this match, but it just started so we still got time to get you prepared."

Suddenly the bell rang as the crowd cheered loudly, and a few seconds later a newcomer with green hair was carried in on a stretcher. He looked like he had been beaten up pretty badly, and one of the officials carrying him shook his head once they set him down.

"What happened to _him_?" Mac asked.

"His trainer, that's what." The official replied. "Idiot kept yelling out every single punch he wanted _The Green Challenger_ here to do. That's like a football team giving their playbook to the other team, and the result here was about the same. Humph - _Green Challenger_, indeed."

Well, so much for warming back up during this match, and before he knew it, Mac was on his way back out to the ring for the second time in one night. The crowd cheered as the Referee announced him, this time much louder than they had done before, but then the good feelings went away as he saw who his opponent was.

"And his opponent." The Referee continued. "Weighing in at 152 lbs., and wearing the white trunks with blue gloves, the _Don Juan _of the boxing; _Don Flamenco_."

It was him; the guy who had been groping on Alice out in the parking lot. The crowd cheered as he did a little dance with a red rose in his mouth, and then he tossed the flower out into the stands. It soared through the air as if propelled by an engine, and it would've landed on Alice's lap if she hadn't swatted it away. This caused it to instead fall into the lap of a red-haired girl in the row ahead of her, who immediately squealed and fainted over being fortunate enough to receive this gift.

"Be careful with this guy, kid." Doc said. "He's got a _mean_ uppercut, and he'll try to get you with it when you're open."

"Don't worry, Doc, I got this." Mac replied as the Referee waved him over. "This guy's going down _hard_."

Anger at the things that this guy had said and done earlier was swimming around in his head like a shark, and now he had the chance to make him pay for it. It was lucky that Doc had warned him about the uppercuts and how Flamenco used them, because it now allowed him to come up with an idea. It was risky, but worth it for the chance to humiliate this guy, and now all he had to do was pull it off.

"All right, remember to give the crowd a good show." The Referee said as the two fighters reached him. "Now keep it clean, and come out boxing. Fight!"

The bell rang to signal the start of round one, and Mac expected to have to dodge his opponent's attack immediately, but instead the guy just stood there. No, not just standing there, but beckoning to him to attack. It appeared like he wanted Mac to throw the first punch, and he almost did, if he hadn't remembered the rest of Doc's warning. Flamenco liked to attack when his opponent was open, as in _after a punch had bene thrown_, so he would have to figure out a good way to do this.

"Come on, _big man_." Flamenco taunted while motioning for him to come closer. "Help me show your girlfriend what a sissy you are."

Mac gritted his teeth as his face turned red with anger, but then he calmed back down as he figured out what to do. Appearing to take the bait, he threw a punch which Flamenco easily blocked, but then he also jumped back to avoid the incredibly powerful uppercut that followed. This was the same thing that Piston Honda had done to him; jumping back to avoid a hit, and Mac continued to follow Honda's example by rushing forward as soon as the uppercut was finished.

Flamenco was caught completely off guard when Mac's first punch caught him in the side of the face, and this was immediately followed by another so that he would have no chance to recover. Left, right, left, right, left, right, Mac didn't have the power in each blow that Honda did, but it was enough to drive Flamenco back into the turnbuckle, and the crowd cheered louder than he had ever heard before as he kept up the attack. Left, right, left, right, Mac was _enraged_ that this loser had even _dared_ to touch his girlfriend and insult him, but finally the strength left his arms, and he was forced to stop the attack.

Flamenco stumbled away from the turnbuckle as if he was going to make an attack of his own, but then he stumbled sideways. He managed to regain balance, only to stumble the other way, and finally he crashed to the mat just as Heike Kagero had done in his last match. His opponent didn't even _try_ to get up as the Referee counted all the way to ten, and Mac just wished that he still had the strength to raise them in victory.

"Well, you sure showed _me_." He taunted as Flamenco groaned weakly. "How will I _ever _face my girlfriend again after that?"

Flamenco groaned again as he was taken away on the stretcher, and Mac finally found the strength to raise his arms when he looked out into the stands and saw Alice blow him a kiss.

"I love you, Mac!" She yelled, just barely heard over the crowd.

"We all love Mac!" Greg yelled as he stood up. "Mac, Mac, Mac, Mac!"

Slowly the crowd started to join in on this slow repeated chant of his name, and even Doc gave him an approving smile along with a _thumbs up_. This was truly the best night of his life, and it was also just the beginning of what was sure to be a great career.


	15. Chapter 14 Back To Training

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 14: Back To Training**

Having learned to live with the pink color of his jogging suit, Mac did his best to keep up with Doc, even though his trainer was, as always, on a bicycle, and his mind was distracted by thoughts of the previous night. As he had hoped, Alice was insanely proud of him, and after celebrating his victory, she had spent two hours on the phone telling everyone she knew about how great _her man_ was. The next day at work was great as well, with Greg making sure to let everyone who came in know about Mac's victory, while also using it to promote his gym, but that was okay.

"Come on, kid." Doc called as they turned down another sidewalk. "Gotta keep up."

"Says the man on the bicycle." He called back between breaths.

Yes, life was good, however, the things weighing most on his mind were the unexpected once, like how he had been handed two checks by an official after everything was over. He had forgotten that returning fighters got paid for winning, so it was an incredible surprise to be given five thousand dollars for his fight with Heike Kagero, as well as _ten_ thousand for defeating Don Flamenco, since it was his second bout on the same night. Losers got paid also, but it was only half the purse, which gave each fighter a strong motivation to give it their all.

Alice had nearly fainted when he showed her how much money he had earned, and with it he could easily get her a car of her own, or maybe even put a down payment on a house so that they wouldn't have to live in that apartment any longer. But pleasant thoughts like these were forgotten when he remembered the final surprise that he had been given just before everyone was about to leave for the night.

_ "I've got good news for you, Mac." An official had said to him. "A Minor Circuit Champion has expressed interest in facing you in the ring."_

Of course he had accepted the offer, and now he was set to have his first title fight in three weeks against a man named Emir Kerem, more commonly known to his fans as the _Bald Bull_. He was a big, mean, powerhouse of a man, and an undefeated champion in the Minor Circuit who was known for finding ways to simply overpower his opponents. For some reason he had constantly turned down transferring into the Major Circuit, even though the general opinion was that he would do very well, but maybe he was just happy where he was.

Either way, Mac was thrilled about this, especially since it meant he didn't have to win another exhibition match before being eligible, not that he would have minded doing another fight first. Title bouts always drew in a lot more fans as well as people tuning in to watch it on television, so the purse was bigger as well. Twenty-five _thousand_ dollars would go to the winner, so even if he lost, that was still another twelve thousand five hundred to put in the bank.

Not that he expected to lose, far from it. He was going to train hard and give it his all, not just for the money, but because this was his dream. To become one of the best boxers in the W.V.B.A., and to really be somebody important. Alice had told him dozens of times that she didn't need money or fame to be happy, and that all she wanted was him, but he was determined to give her more. He was never very good in school, so he couldn't make something of himself through college like she was doing, but he _could_ do this.

_ "I don't hate the boy, Alice." He father had once said. "But with his grades, and the way he gets into fights - honey, I just think you could do so much better. You need to find someone who has a future; someone who's going places, and who can take care of you."_

_ "Daddy, Mac does so have a future." Alice had argued. "One with me."_

The memory of how she had stood up for him made him attack the rest of the evening's training with double the dedication, and an energy as if they had just started for the day. They did combos with the pads, he worked the heavy bag, and he was even starting to figure out how to keep a rhythm on the speed bag, since his previous attempts were just sad. Finally, the last part of training was to do some sparring with a guy named Aran Ryan, the son of one of Doc's old friends, who the older man claimed would prepare him for any dirty tricks his opponents would use in the ring.

"Don't worry, boyo." Aran said as they got in the ring. "I'll go easy on ya first."

Well, Doc was certainly right. Aran was the dirtiest fighter that Mac had ever seen, and trying to fight the guy was almost impossible, since he did nothing but low-blows and backstabs, which quickly resulted in Mac kissing the mat. He was just starting to learn how to avoid some of the things that Aran was doing, when it was time to stop for the day.

"Not bad, boyo." Aran said as he left. "Next time I'll show you the _hard_ ones."

"The hard ones?" Mac asked once he was gone. "Doc, are you sure about this guy?"

"Definitely, kid." Doc replied. "Aran Ryan is gonna help you in ways that traditional trainin can't, and I just wish I had someone like him helpin me before I got in the ring with Great Tiger. All right I'm beat, see you tomorrow, kid."

Doc left, and Mac was soon to follow. He appreciated what Doc was trying to do, but he was still thankful that the day was over, since some of those low-blows really hurt. Making his way home to the apartment, his stomach rumbled when he opened the door and was met with the smell of food, and there was Alice, setting the table.

"Hi, Mac, how was training?" She asked happily while setting down the silverware. "I didn't have a chance to go shopping yet, so all we had in the cupboard was _Mac&Cheese_. Sit down."

He didn't care what was put in front of him, so long as it was food, although he made sure to thank her for every single thing she did for him during the meal. Once they were done, she took the plates into the kitchen, and he was about to get up to help her, when she came back and stopped him by giving him a shoulder rub. Mac sighed with relief as she did this, and if he had to guess what heaven was like, this was pretty close. So close, in fact, that it caused him to make a decision as he stood up.

"Is something wrong?" Alice asked as he walked over to the cupboard.

"No, everything is right." He replied as he reached up inside it for his secret hiding place. "I was going to wait until after I won the title, but you're so wonderful, and I love you so much that I can't."

She looked a little confused by this as he retrieved the little box and walked back over to her, but then her confusion turned into a startled gasp when he got down on one knee and opened the box to reveal a little diamond ring.

"Alice, will you marry me?" He asked quickly as to not lose nerve.

For a moment she just stood there as if frozen in place, but then tears started to form in her eyes as she made a few failed attempts to say something. Eventually she just nodded her head and smiled, losing her battle to keep from crying when he put the ring on her finger. They both tried to come up with something to say when Mac stood back up, but failed, so instead they just kissed before holding each other tightly.

"Daddy's gonna be pissed." She finally said, making them both laugh.

"I hope he spits frickin _fire_." Mac replied. "I love you, Alice."

And there they stood, just holding each other for the longest time, and Mac was certain that this was the happiest that he had ever felt in his life.


	16. Chapter 15 Preparations Continue

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 15: Preparations Continue**

As expected, Alice's father was not very happy when she broke the news to him about her and Mac's engagement. Mac personally never liked the man, but was always nice and respectful for Alice's sake. Normally her father would've flipped out and started yelling during his usual _Mac's a loser, you need a man who's rich _speech like when they first started dating, but for some reason the man was using a little more restraint, possibly because he was a fan of the W.V.B.A. as well.

Whatever the reason was, things had gone a lot better than Mac had expected, and now that this had been handled, he was free to turn his mind back to his upcoming title fight. Alice's final exams were also finished by this time, and as expected, she had graduated with something called Summa Cum Laude. Mac didn't completely understand what that meant, but they celebrated anyway, and now she was free to cheer him on every day during training. Doc liked this idea, since people would be cheering during actual bouts, but they still had to keep focused.

Everyone was surprised when Mac returned to the Minor Circuit after only a week, claiming that he needed to keep testing himself even if a loss would ruin his shot at the title. His thoughts on the matter were that Bald Bull was the best, so he needed to be able to beat anyone else that was ranked lower than him. This was also featured in the local newspaper's _Sports_ section as follows:

_**LITTLE MAC ON THE ATTACK**_

_Fans of the W.V.B.A. Minor Circuit received a special treat last night when the up and coming fighter known as Little Mac appeared for a surprise exhibition match against fan-favorite Kid Quick. Mac, who is scheduled to face Bald Bull, one of the highest rated champions of the Minors in two weeks, took a great risk in this match, as even a single loss would make him ineligible for the title fight._

_Little Mac's Trainer, the famed Doc Louis, said when asked that "Mac's doin right by fightin each chance he gets, cause' you gotta be the best, and he's gonna face the best in two weeks." and Mac proved last night that he is good enough, when the crowd cheered as he defeated Kid Quick with a TKO in round three._

_Bald Bull, the champion who specifically challenged Mac last week, was also in attendance. When asked how he felt about his opponent overall, he replied with "Little Mac's got talent, but Doc won't be able to help him once he's in the ring with me. I'll crush him, then he'll train hard and rematch me, and I'll crush him again. That's how you stay the best, your opponent keeps you strong by getting stronger."_

Local fame was also starting to follow. Where once no one even noticed him as he ran behind Doc on the bicycle, now people he knew would cheer when they went past. People also started wanting to watch his training in the back half of the gym, which Greg was happy to allow as long as non-members paid what he called a _cover charge_. Mac's cut of this money was added to his paycheck, so soon he was making a lot more money at his regular job, on top of the twenty thousand dollars that he had already made in the Minor Circuit.

The following week he returned to the Minors yet again, but this time it was almost _demanded_ by the crowd. The gift shop was starting to sell posters of him along with all the others, and there was even talk of him being featured in the next set of trading cards. To add to the excitement, Doc had managed to arrange a special bout that required the permission of Hoy Quarlow, the owner of the W.V.B.A., himself. Needless to say, this one was also featured in the papers.

_**LITTLE MAC DOES IT AGAIN**_

_Just when fans thought they had seen everything, W.V.B.A. owner, Hoy Quarlow, announced last night that Aran Ryan, known for rigging the turnbuckles to collapse during his charity match last year against celebrated fighter, Von Kaiser, would be allowed to return to the ring one time, and one time only in order to face Little Mac._

_Ryan held nothing back as he used all of his famous dirty tricks in an effort to defeat Mac, who it was also announced earlier had been sparring against Ryan for the past two weeks. Ryan dominated the first round, but found himself literally against the ropes when his tricks had failed to defeat Mac by round two. When faced with a fair fight, Ryan quickly succumbed to a flurry of punches that left him with a KO for his troubles._

_This was not the first time where such a special match had been announced, and it is reported that Mac not only took home the standard prize of $5000, but that both he and Ryan received a small share of the ticket sales, bringing Mac's fight purse up to a total of $25,000, the equivalent of the standard prize for winning a Minor Circuit title bout._

_Little Mac and his fiancé, Alice Apethree, were available for comment after the fight, and when asked what this young couple were going to do with the money he had earned so far, Mac replied that for now it was all going toward buying a house. He had more plans for after that, but would say nothing else on the subject._

With all of the money he had earned, plus his regular job with its bonuses, and the royalties that he had received from the posters, all he needed to do was somehow defeat Bald Bull in the title fight, and he would be able to pay cash for a really nice house. So he trained, and trained _hard_ for that final week. With plans to rest for the final two days, Doc made him run faster and further than he had ever done before, and pushed his limits in the gym as well.

That two days of rest was well deserved and much needed when it came around, and at their apartment, Alice told him to just lay on the couch and that she would take care of everything. So they relaxed, spending their time discussing the future; things like what kind of wedding they were going to have and what kind of house they were going to buy. Neither of them felt like cooking on the second night, so they went out to eat, and the local fame followed him once again.

They went out to the Pizza Pasta restaurant where he had gone with Greg on occasion, and Pete, the owner, told him that he and Alice could have a free meal every day as long as he told everyone that he ate there, to which the other customers cheered. And why not? He was already telling everyone about the _Super Macho Gym_, so it would be easy to mention _Pizza Pasta _once in a while.

Yes, life was good. Not only because he was making money and could now give Alice the things that he knew she deserved, but because he was finally _somebody_. It was a good feeling to be noticed, and even better to be liked by W.V.B.A. fans, even though it took him a while to realize that _he_ had fans. So, if life was this good when he was just another fighter, he could only imagine what it would be like to be a _champion_.


	17. Chapter 16 Minor Circuit Title Bout

**Punch-Out!**

**Chapter 16: Minor Circuit Title Bout**

Tonight was the night. Three weeks of nothing but training, and although it was grueling and each day seemed to drag on forever, it now felt like only a few seconds had passed since Mac had been challenged to a title bout. So there he was, getting changed in the locker room, and getting wished good luck by people like Piston Honda, along with a grunt of approval by Kid Quick, which was a lot more than he had expected. The other matches seemed to fly by as his anticipation grew into anxiety, and even warming up didn't seem to help.

"How you feelin, kid?" Doc Louis asked once he came back to the locker room.

"I'm nervous, Doc." Mac replied while stretching. "There's twenty-five _thousand _dollars riding on this fight. If I win, I'll be able to pay _cash_ for a house for me and Alice, even without the money from those posters and things."

He supposed that he shouldn't have been so nervous about the money, being that he would still get twelve and a half if he lost, and would have to two more fights to make up for it, which was not really that big of a deal. After all, just _being in _the W.V.B.A. was his dream, and he had never really considered making it very far. Yet, there he was; Mac Little, a nobody from New York, about to take on one of the greatest fighters in the Minor Circuit. It wasn't such a big deal when he was a newcomer, but now people knew who he was, and he had actually been stopped on the way in by fans who wanted an autograph.

"I need you to stay focused, kid." Doc continued. "All anyone expects is for you to give it your all, but if you win this fight, it's gonna open up a whole_ list _of opportunities for you. We can get into that later, so for now just finish warmin up; you're up after this next match."

"Okay, I'll stay focused." Mac replied. "And, Doc - thanks for everything."

Mac continued to warm up as the next match was called, and did nothing but stretch and stretch in order to make sure he would be nice and limber for when he was called. This time he was not going up against a trickster with long hair, or a dweeb that could just be overpowered with the _piston rush_; he was a serious fighter, and he was big. _Very _big. This guy was a muscle-bound powerhouse that stood about two feet taller than Mac, and he had _never_ been defeated.

Sure, there were a few fighters who could make that claim, mostly in the Major Circuit, but Bald Bull was the most predominant, simply because he was the one that Mac had to fight. The more he thought about it, the more the clock seemed to move faster, until the current match ended, and he was called, once again, to the ring. The fans cheered loudly as both he and his opponent made their way down the aisles, stopping only when they had climbed through the ropes, and the microphone dropped down for the Referee.

"Welcome back to tonight's W.V.B.A. presentation, Ladies and Gentlemen." He began. "We are now pleased to bring you the main event - a special _Minor Circuit Title Bout_."

The crowd cheered again, and the Referee waited until it stopped before continuing. This gave Mac enough time to spot both Alice and Greg in their usual third row seats. It always made him feel good that they were both supporting him like this, and for a moment the anxiety faded away, only to come back with a vengeance once the Referee started talking again.

"Introducing first, the challenger." He announced. "Weighing in at 107 lbs. and wearing the green trunks with black tank. The tiny titan, himself - Little Mac."

The crowd resumed cheering and applauding before a chant of _Mac, Mac, Mac _passed through the stands.

"And his opponent." The Referee resumed once the cheering stopped. "Weighing in at 298 lbs. and wearing the white trunks with green trim; the man whose barber didn't know when to quit - W.V.B.A. Minor Circuit Champion, Bald Bull."

Now the crowd really erupted as the two of them were called to the center of the ring for the usual speech, and then the cheers died down as the Referee backed away, and the match began with a quick jab from Bald Bull that came so fast that Mac barely had time to dodge it. He immediately countered with a jab of his own, but his opponent stepped backwards, letting him hit nothing but air. Mac came in with another jab, but Bald Bull leaned sideways to avoid it, while coming back with a powerful hook that caught him on the side of the torso.

Mac stumbled sideways from the impact, but managed to stay on his feet. Bald Bull smiled as he approached, using another hook in an attempt to finish him off, but this time Mac moved away, coming back with a battle cry as he gave his opponent a wild haymaker to the face. Bald Bull grunted as he stumbled backwards, and Mac hadn't expected that to knock him down since he didn't have to same power that King Hippo could put into that move.

The crowd cheered, and the smile had faded from Bald Bull's face by the next time that he approached. Mac was now confident that he knew the extent of his opponent's strength, so he also came forward to attack, but then something unexpected happened. Bald Bull suddenly squatted down, and bounced forward to avoid Mac's punch, before coming back up with an uppercut that made Mac's vision go gray for a second when it struck him.

His ears were ringing as his feet left the ground, and he thought for a second that he was going to do a backflip, but instead crashed into the turnbuckle and collapsed onto the mat. The Referee's count had already started by the time he was able to roll over, and it looked like Bald Bull was laughing at him as his vision refocused. He wasn't sure exactly how he did it, but he somehow managed to use the ropes to pull himself back up at the nine count, and then he sighed with relief as the bell rang to signal that the round was over.

"Holy crap!" Mac exclaimed as he nearly fell onto the stool in his corner. "I thought I was gonna fly out of the ring!"

"Calm down, kid." Doc replied while toweling the sweat off his forehead. "Now, you're out there throwin out all kinds-a punches, but that'll only get you so far. You gotta watch this guy, and find the right time to strike."

He gave Mac some water, and toweled off his sweat once again.

"What's the right time to strike?" Mac asked while catching his breath. "Hitting this guy is like punching a refrigerator."

"You gotta look for it, kid." Doc repeated. "You gotta watch him, and find the weakness. Everyone has one, even if it's in the attack itself, like when Great Tiger got tired after doin that crazy mirage thing to me."

Mac was about to ask him what a twenty year old fight had to do with anything, but then the bell rang, and it was time for the second round to start. Even though he didn't understand Doc's advice completely, he took it to heart and started watching how his opponent moved, and it actually helped a bit. He learned that Bald Bull liked to roll his hands a bit before a jab, and also that he threw out his opposite arm before a hook, probably to give him more power by balancing his weight.

Well, great, this helped him avoid a lot more of his punches, but hitting Bald Bull in the face was still doing next to nothing. He was able to drive back his opponent a few times, but Bald Bull would eventually dodge and counter with that hook that Mac couldn't avoid while in the middle of throwing his own punch. Now Mac was starting to get tired, and Bald Bull squatted down to do his bouncing uppercut, but this time he was able to avoid it. He stepped back in time to feel the wind from the upward attack, and his opponent's feet left the ground at the end, but the whole time his torso had been wide open.

Was that it? Was that what Doc meant by the attack being the weakness. Mac tried to punch him once the move was finished, but his Bald Bull blocked his hook and gave him a jab in return that knocked him off balance enough to make him fall down. This time he got up before the count of five, and he got a crazy idea as the Referee gave the signal to fight. Before and after that charging uppercut, Bald Bull was just as tough as ever - but what about during? It was a crazy plan, but it was also his last chance.

Dodging and backing off to avoid his punches, the opportunity soon came as his opponent squatted down and bounced forward. However, instead of dodging or trying to hit him in the face, Mac also rushed forward with the strongest body blow that he could muster. His hook collided with his opponent's stomach at the same time that a somewhat weakened version of the uppercut got him in the chin, and the crowd fell silent as both fighters felt the effects of their respective attacks.

Mac stumbled backwards and fell against the turnbuckle, sliding to the mat as Bald Bull was thrown completely off balance. The big man stumbled backwards so violently that he not only ended up against the ropes, but the momentum was enough to make him tumble right over them. Bald Bull crashed to the floor outside of the ring as the Referee began a mutual count that could disqualify both fighters, so Mac fought his own tilted vision and fatigue as he struggled to get up.

"_Five - six - seven_." The Referee counted.

With blurred vision and shaking legs, Mac pulled on the ropes with everything he was worth, and got to his feet just before the ten count was called. Bald Bull was still laying on the floor outside the ring, and Mac was starting to wonder if his opponent was okay, when the crowd erupted in the stands.

"Knockout!" The Referee announced. "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have a new Champion!"


End file.
